Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 20,367, Samuel Fenimore, New Jersey.

SERVICE
SERVICE New Jersey
or Fenimore, Samuel Fenimore
NUMBER _____
R. 20.367.
CONTENTS

For the purpose of obtaining the benefits of an Act, entitled, "An Act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the Army of the Revolution approved on the 15 th of May 1828.
I Samuel Fenimore of the city of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania declare That about the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six I raised a troop of horse in New Jersey and served as captain thereof in the war of the revolution till its termination: That as such captain I joined the army under General Washington before the battle of Trenton in which battle as also in the battle at Princeton I was engaged:
That I have never received of the United States or otherwise any money or pay for my services as aforesaid except for about two months, or for expenses incurred by me in raising the troop of horse as aforesaid.
Sam l Fenimore

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
City of Philadelphia ss;
Before me James N. Barker
Barker — Esquire, an Alderman of the city of Philadelphia in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania residing therein and having the power of administering oaths personally appeared
Peter A. Grotjan & William M. Evans
who being severally sworn
that Samuel Fennimore by whom the foregoing declaration was subscribed is generally reputed and believed to have been an officer and served as such in the war of the revolution in manner as therein stated.
Witness my hand this sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight
James N. Barker
Philadelphia County S.S.
affidavit
I, Matthew Randall (Notary Public) of the Court of Common Pleas for the city and county of Philadelphia do certify that James N. Barker Esq. before whom the foregoing declaration was made and who has thereto subscribed his name was at the time of so doing and now is one of the Aldermen of the city of Philadelphia and ex officio a Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and qualified to all whose acts as such Justice of the Peace are and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as elsewhere.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court at Philadelphia the 7 October 1828
Matthew Randall

Hon: Richard Rush, Sec'y of the Treasury

Phila d  3 Perry st — Octo: 7, '28
Sir, I beg leave to submit to you the enclosed being my application under the Act of Congress for the relief of the officers, &c of the Army of the Revolution. In making the declaration I have stated the facts as they are - respectfully submitting to you whether they entitle me to the provision of the Act.
In addition to the declaration I beg leave to state that when I raised the troop I showed as mentioned in my declaration Genl Washington had retreated into Pennsylvania - that I afterwards served under his immediate command for a considerable time - that on the termination of the war I returned to my farm without ever having rec d any pay from the U. States. — The enclosed letter from Genl. Lafayette will serve to show that I served in the war of the revolution. —
You will have the good-

must excuse the, erroneous letter - and to accept the assurance that any commu- nication in relation to the subject of it will be gratefully acknowledged by Yr most O. S.!
Samuel Jennings
Hon: Richard Rusk, Sec. of the Treasury.

Samuel Fenimore - capt- N. Jersey line (probably)
Penn-
Ref. File no 3489 doubtful
No record add
Not allowed act 7828
Dec 28/74

Rejected. Ex'r. OLD WAR.
File No. 20367
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
Samuel Fennimore Capt N.Y. Troops Revy War
DEJECTED
at _____
other claim.
_____, 187____
Clerk.
Not allowed. Act 1828.
Application filed: _____, 18____
Attorney: _____
_____. _____ _____. _____ _____. _____ _____. _____ _____. _____

Revolutionary Claims.
Under the act, entitled "An act for the relief of certain surviving Officers and Soldiers of the Army of the Revolution," approved 15th May, 1828.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 24 Jany 1829.
The annexed paper, relating to the claim of Samuel Fennimore under the abovementioned act, is respectfully referred to the Secretary of War, with a request that he will be pleased to cause me to be informed whether it appears, by any records in the War Department, that the claimant has received, or is entitled to receive, the bounty in land granted by Congress for service in the Continental line of the Army of the Revolution; and, if so, whether he became entitled to the same by service to the termination of the war, or in what other manner.
R. Rush.
The Hon. the SECRETARY OF WAR.
War Depart:
Bounty land office
The records of this office do not show that Samuel Fennimore as a Captain of New Jersey line was received or is entitled to bounty land of the United States.
Robert Taylor 28 Jany 1829.

12 Jan 1829
[Large decorative flourish]
Hon. Richard Rush Secretary of the Treasury U.S. Washington D.C.
Wilson Taylor for Samuel Harrison Dec 12 Jan 1829.

27 Jan'y 8 th 1829
Hon. Richard Rush
Secretary of the Treasury U.S.
Dear Sir,
About two months
since Samuel Finimore Esq r formerly of N. Jersey but now of this city, transmitted to you a statement of his claim for compensation for military services rendered during the revolutionary war — accompanied by the affidavits of two gentlemen of this city tending to shew that he has always been considered & known, as an officer in that war — & also by an original letter from Gen. Lafayette recognising him as a brother in arms. — He has not had the pleasure to hear from you on the subject; and requests me to ask of you, whether you have received the communication alluded to, & if so, whether you consider his claim as stated, to come within the meaning of the Act of Congress — Should you decide unfavourably, the only remedy will be an application to Congress. In such emergency, the propriety of having the documents necessary to prove the claim will be obvious. For this reason, I respectfully request that you will honor me with an early reply.
I have the Honor to be Yr. Ob t . Humble Servt. Wilson Taylor

Handwritten text at the top edge, possibly "A" and "chain" or similar.
PAID
Hon. Richard Rush Secretary of the Treasury U.S. Washington D.C.

No. 29 Jany 1829.
Phila a Jany 26. 1829
Hon. Richard Rush
Secretary of the Treasury U.S.
Sir,
I had the honor to address you on the 8 th inst. on the subject of the claim of Samuel Finimore for revolutionary services referring to certain papers which he had the honor to forward to you about two months previous. He desires me to trouble you again with the enquiry whether you have received the communications alluded to, and further to request of you an early reply, as procrastinating it prevents his taking other measures to obtain compensation for services. for which he has never received anything.
With the greatest Respect I have the honor to be Your Oble Servt Wilson Taylor
P. S. I have this day written to the Hon. Mr. Sergeant on this subject.

Rec'd April 1829. The Hon: Sam l D. Ingham Secretary of the U. S. Treasury.
Philad a : April 2 d 1829.
Dear Sir
I take this opportunity to tender to you my sincere personal congratulations on your recent appointment to one of the most important Station in the Union. In doing this my own feelings are in happy unison with the voice of an overwhelming majority of your fellow Citizens, who have formed their opinion of your character and talents, from the ability with which you have rendered them important services for many years past, and particularly during a time of Political Strife, where honesty and principle were successfully opposed to ambition, power, wealth & corruption. — Your present Station is therefore no further remarkable, than that it illustrates the judgement, of the present chief-Magistrate, the upright, and undeviating friend to, and justly beloved object of, a free and independent Nation.
Let the few foregoing remarks suffice to shew at least, my sense of the propriety which characterises the commencement, of General Jacksons Carrier as President of the U. S., and however little my opinion may be worth, I can vouch for it, that every step he has taken has met the cordial approbation of his real supporters.
The chief object, of my present address to you, is on the subject, of a matter of great importance to a member of my family, and I will crave beforehand your pardon, if I should trespass upon your time by being too prolix in the narrative of the circumstances, which, however I deem it particularly necessary for you to be acquainted with, as the constitutional Organ on whom it devolves by Act of Congress to do justice to the surviving officers of the Revolutionary war.

In the session of Congress of 1826 & 27. I believe a law was ultimately passed that the few remaining Patriots of that memorable Epocha, should have some justice done to them, by receiving pay for their services according to their rank and for the remainder of their lives, but none higher than a Captain's pay, commencing (I believe) from March 1826. — This Act further provided that the Secretary of the Treasury should receive all applications from persons qualified to receive this remuneration. The spirit of this act must undoubtedly have been, that the fulfillment thereof should be prompt, and not unnecessarily delayed, particularly as every object, to be relieved is on the verge of Eternity. — That this has been utterly neglected by you, predecessor I will shortly prove.
My father in law, Mr. Samuel Tenimore, is one of the few still remaining survivors, who were chief actors in an Event, which will be remembered in history to the end of time, and of which you and me and our children now reap the benefit.
I will briefly relate to you, what are his Claims, how they are supported, what application has been made to your predecessor, and what notice has been taken thereof.
From the commencement of the Revolution to the establishment of our Independence Samuel Tenimore was not alone an active Advocate of our liberty, but being a member of a wealthy and independent family raised at his own expence a troop of horse to the number of 60 effective men, in the township of Springfield County of Burlington New Jersey. With this force he joined the Army of Genl. Washington, then on the Pennsylvania side of the river Delaware near Trenton, previous to the taking of that place and the Battle of Princeton. He and his troop were here incorporated with the line of Regulars, and he and they

enjoyed all the privileges belonging thereto. Captain Fenimore and his troop, were afterwards transferred to the Jersey line, when the American Army retreated from Princeton and encamped in the mountains under command of Genl. Green. — Subsequent to this period Capt. F. & his troop were ordered to join that part of the Jersey line commanded by Genl. Lafayette and stationed at Haddonfield, which was not long after the battle of Brandywine from the wound which the General received there he has hardly recovered.
On the occasion of the Battle at Timber Creek, Capt. Fenimore's Troop was the only Cavalry in the service of Genl. Lafayette, and accordingly to the testimony of that great man, as expressed in a letter to the former the services rendered by him on that occasion, mainly contributed to the Victory obtained over the & British Hessians Army
This short sketch may suffice to shew his Claims on his Country as a revolutionary Officer. It therefore remains to shew how the Veracity of these Claims are supported by Testimony. And here I have the honour to refer you to the Documents sent to your Predecessor almost, six months  year ago, and which no doubt, are filed in your Office.
The most remarkable of these Documents, and to which I beg leave particularly to draw your attention, is an original letter of General Lafayette to Captain Fenimore after his return to France from his remarkable visit to this Country. — I have no doubt on my mind that this document, would be deemed sufficient, even in the absence of any other testimony. Notwithstanding this, and other testimony required by the Act of Congress, Mr. Rush has never answered the application, although requested to do so, by myself, and subsequently by my brother in law Mr. Wilson Taylor, with whom I believe you are also acquainted as a conspicuous member of the Jackson Club.

The latter went even so far, as to write on the subject, to our representative Mr. John Sergeant, to make further inquiries. With Mr. Sergeant, I have had a conversation yesterday, and he informed me, that in consequence of the indisposition of Mr. Rush he had had no opportunity to see him before his return from Washington but that he had written to him, and that he also had filed the documents sent by Mr. Wilson Taylor, in the Office of the Treasury.
Implicitly relying on your patriotism and love of Justice I confide in the name of my father in law this case to your care, hoping to hear from you on the subject, whenever your other duties will permit you to devote your attention to this claim.
With consideration of friendship and high regard I have the honour to subscribe myself
Yours &c.
Peter A. Grotjan

REVOLUTIONARY CLAIMS.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
6 Nov 1828.
Samuel Fenimore of Philadelphia in the County of in the State of Pennsylvania has applied to the Secretary of the Treasury for the benefits of the act, entitled "An Act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the Revolution," approved on the 15th of May, 1828. He states that he was as an officer on the Continental line, and served as such to the end of the war, an Independent troop of horse raised principal at which period he was a Captain of in the regiment of the by in New Jersey line; and that he did not receive commutation certificates for the five years full pay granted by the resolve of 22 March, 1783; and, further, that he has received as a pensioner since the 3d of March, 1826, nothing dollars, paid to him by the agent in the State of
The Third Auditor is requested to report how far these several statements are corroborated by the records in his office.
By order of the Secretary J. H. Dickinson
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
THIRD AUDITOR'S OFFICE,
7. November 1828
It appears by the records in this office, that final settlement certificates have been issued for the commutation of five years full pay to the line, amounting to dollars.
It further appears that Samuel Fenimore is now on the pension list of the any - - - - - agency, and has been since the 3. March 1826 at the rate of per month.
The Revolutionary records in this Office furnish no information whatever in relation to the services of Cap. Samuel Fenimore -
John H. Stagner And